During a recent meeting with our retailers where we discussed the unique features of the Magic 14.5 I realized how much other dealers would appreciate an explanation of this model's features and benefits. In addition, I have received specific requests from readers to tell you about the Magic, so here you go.

While the Magic 14.5 is designed to be a multi-purpose kayak with the main emphasis on its performance as a fishing kayak, there are many features distinguish the Magic from all other sit-on-top kayaks:

Conversion from Solo to Tandem, and Vice Versa

Plug and Play™ Versatility
I have noticed that on many fishing forums there are contests for the most ingenious in the ways participants add fishing accessories to their kayak. Some kayaks have so much stuff mounted on them that it's a wonder how the owners can actually fish! I have met kayak anglers who have added equipment permanently to their kayaks after reading about it on a forum, only to later wish that they had not.

Plug and Play™ also allows you to accessorize your kayak without permanently attaching

1. experiment without drilling your kayak full of holes,
2. be creative without committing, and
3. use your kayak for different types of fishing or other activities

In addition, the First Class™ Seats and Easy Foot™ footbraces move easily to alternate locations so that you can adjust your trim to suit the load that you are carrying, in whatever conditions that you may encounter. This is a big plus for performance.

Storage
The Magic 14.5 has more usable storage area than other sit- on-tops because it was designed to utilize as much cockpit space as possible.

There is no forward hatch because most forward hatches are useless when you are fishing in open water. They force you to crawl forward to open them, weighting the bow and encouraging waves to break into the opening. This is not good, for when you get water inside a sit-on -top it is very difficult to remove while you are on the water. Since paddlers usually put their gear in a dry bag before putting it in the hatch, why have the hatch at all?

The Magic 14.5 can be outfitted with custom-fitted insulated bags. They store what you would keep in a hatch, can be lashed down securely, and are easy to access.

Stability
For any sit-on-top self-bail (so that water drains automatically), the cockpit floor must be higher than the water level when you are sitting in it, fully loaded. If the scupper holes are below the water line of the kayak, the water simply cannot drain, once example of how proper kayak design is so important. The Magic 14.5 stays dry because it has six scupper holes that are designed to be just above the water line at maximum capacity. The deck is not elevated so high that it becomes unstable. The cockpit is also wide with a large, flat surface area so that it is more suitable for standing than most sit-on-tops.

If you are interested in comparing the stability of the Ultimate 14.5 versus the Magic 14.5, the Ultimate 14.5 is a sit inside kayak. You sit lower in the Ultimate than you do in a Magic 14.5, so your center of gravity is lower. Your stability is greater, but the boat will not self-bail.

First Class™ Seating
Other than hull design and performance of a kayak, the next most important feature is its comfort, usually related to the seat. In a big power boat you can get up, move around and stretch. In a kayak you are married to your seat, and it can become very uncomfortable if it is not designed properly. Your kayak seat can literally make the difference between a great day and a miserable one.

The following are some features of First Class™ Seating:

1. Construction: To start from the bottom up, the seat or seats in the Magic 14.5 are designed so that you are not sitting in water all day. They are constructed from environmentally safe fabric in a light color that does not absorb heat like darker colored seats, and they last a lot longer in the sun light. They drain, ventilate, and cushion so that you are not sitting in water, you are cooler because of ventilation, and you have a more comfortable seat. These seats are made in the same factory as is the Magic in Greensboro, North Carolina.
2. Removability: This is a much larger feature than most people realize. I was listening to a customer in a dealership one day talking to a sales person. He said that he and his wife loved the Magic 14.5 and it was everything that they wanted, but it was 10 pounds heaver than a competitive brand. I could not help but to speak up and say that if they removed the seats from the Magic 14.5 tandem it would be 14 pounds lighter when it counts – when they are carrying or loading it.  Seats can also be removed and used as a beach or camp chairs. I sometimes remove both seats and the foot braces.  This leaves me with a completely open cockpit for standing up and poling the flats with a nice clean area to strip my fly line, like poling a self-bailing dugout canoe with plenty of lash points.

Accessories
There are now many accessories available for the Magic 14.5 that makes this unique kayak extremely versatile and fishable.  It is great for fishing inshore or offshore. Rig it with the new removable console for a depth finder/fish recorder with a pivoting transducer arm to get more accurate readings, or for whatever activities you may choose. View the accessories and visit your local dealer to purchase any accessories that you need for your Magic 14.5.